Mail-bag catcher.



Patented Mar. 26, |90I.. l C. G. SDRENSEN & W. T. ALDEN.

MAIL BAG CTCHER. (Application led Dec. 18, 1900.) (N0 Model.)

UNITnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN G. SORENSEN AND WILLIAM T. ALDEN, OF GRAND ISLAND,

Y NEBRASKA.

MAIL-BAG oATc H ER.

SPECIFICATION forming* part 0f Letters Patent N0. 670,693, dated March26, 1901. Application filed December 18, 1900. Serial No. 40,262. (Nomodel.)

ing the bag which is delivered from the cai" and holding it safely untilremoved by an attendant.

This speciiication is a specific descriptionV of one form of theinvention, while the claims are definitions of the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view showing the operation of the invention.Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofV the crane which is arranged alongside ofthe track. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the same, and Fig. 4 is a detailView of the catch for the lower ringof the mail-bag on the train.

The mail-car is provided, at the bottom of therdoor therein, with ahorizontal bar a, ex-

. tending longitudinally of the train and carrying an adjustable arm af,with a T-shaped outer end, to the bottom of which springs a2 areattached to hold the lower ring of the mail-bag, as indicated in Fig. 1.At the upper part of the door is mounted the device for holding theupper end of the bag and also for catching the `bag which is to bedelivered to the car. This device comprises a rod or bar h, mounted torock in bearings h', attached to the car at the sides of the door. Thebar b has a handle b2, to which is connected a chain b3, which extendsdownward and has a hook on its end to engage with an eye b4 on the floorof the car, so as to hold the apparatus in the horizontal position.(Shown in Fig. l.) This chain, however, permits the arm b2 to be throwndownward to raise the outer part of the device and also prevents theouter end,which holds the sack, from d ropping downward. Two struts b5project outward from the rod or bar b and carry a fork c, which isadapted to engage the Inail-bag that is to be delivered to the car. atits rear end a crosspiece c', carrying a stud and spring c2 forremovably holding the upper Vring of the mail-bag, and passing rearwardof the stud and pin c2 is a shield or guard c3, which serves to preventthe other bag from becoming engaged with and torn by the stud c2.

d represents a post which is erected alongside of the track and adaptedto carry the bag which is to be delivered to the train. This post has atits upper end a lever e, fulcruined thereto and provided withoppositelyprojecting pins e', adapted to engage the upper ring of themail-bag. The other end of the lever e has a chain fconnected therewith,which passes downward to and into connection with an arm g, which ishinged at the point g to the post d. This arm gis provided with bracesg2 at its sides, such braces being fastened rigidly to the arm and beinghingedly connected to a horizontal cross-piece g3,

fastened to the post d, this cross-piece being braced by straps g4,attached to the post, as shown. The outer end of the arm g isstrengthened by a reinforce-plate g5, and this plate is formed with asocket therein, which is adapted to receive the shank h of the fork h.This shank h/ is removably fitted in the said socket of the arm g, so asto permit the reversal of the fork h, thus placing it in position tocarry mail-bags which are to be taken by a train running in eitherdirection.` The two pins e are provided for the saine purpose. Thearrangement shown in the drawings isadapted for operation when the trainis running in the direction indicated by the arrow shown in Fig. l; butif the train were running in the other direction the parts would becorrespondingly reversed, as will be obvious:

A Inail-bag hung on the devices for the car has its lower ring engagedwith the appropriate end of the T on the arm a and its upper ringengaged with the stud and `spring c2. The mail-bag which is to bedelivered to the car has its lower ring engaged with the shank h of thefork h and its upper ring engaged This fork c has IOO 2. As the carapproaches the post d the fork V h engages the b ag on the car, and thebag is thus snatched from the holding appliances on the car.Simultaneously the fork c engages the bag at the post and removes thesame from the holding devices thereof.

Having thus described our invention, We claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In a mail-bag-catcher apparatus, devicesfor attachment to a car, comprising a fork to engage the mail-bag whichis to be delivered to the car, andholding devices for the ends of themail-bag which is to be delivered from the car, the upper holding devicebeing located at the throat of the fork and the fork having a guardpassing around the said upper holding device to protect the same.

2. A mail-bag catcher having devices for the upper end of the supportingbag, a fork provided with a shank, and means in which the shank isremovably received, the shank of the fork serving to hold the lower endof the mail-bag, and the fork servingto receive a second inail-bag.

3. A mail-bag catcher, having a post, means for carrying the upper endof the mail-bag,

suchY meansy being mounted on. the post, an arm also mounted on thepost, and a fork with a shank removably fitted in the arm, the shank ofthe fork serving to carry the lower vend of the mail-bag and the forkserving to relceive a second mail-bag.

4. A mail-bag catcher, having a support, and a fork with a shankremovably tted in the support, the shank serving to assist in holdingone bag and the fork serving to catch another bag.

5. A mail-bag catcher, comprising a fork, means for mounting the same onthe car, and

devices carried at the throat of the fork for holding the upper end of amail-bag which is to be delivered from the car, the fork having a guardinclosing the holding devices to protect them.

6. A mail-bag catcher, comprising a fork adapted to be mounted on thecar, means at the throat or rear end of the fork for sustaining ainail-bag, and a guard passed around said means to protect therefrom thebag which is engaged in the fork.

In testimonywhereof we have signed our names to this specitication inthe presence of two ysubscribing witnesses.

CHRISTIAN G. SORENSEN. WILLIAM T. ALDEN.

Witnesses:

E. M. PAINE, I. T. PAINE.

